The Ultimate Guide to Fastweb SIM card & eSIM for Travelers

Worried about staying connected while traveling in Italy? Stay connected effortlessly during your Italian adventure with a Fastweb eSIM or SIM card. Explore our comprehensive guides to find the perfect plan and avoid hefty roaming charges.

1. Quick Facts About Fastweb

Fastweb is a prominent Italian telecommunications provider, offering a range of services including fixed and mobile telephony, broadband internet, and IPTV:

• Fastweb emerged in 1999, its headquarters being based in Milan, Italy.
• Fastweb is the number five player on the Italian mobile market, holding more than 3,3 million wireline and 3,8 million mobile customers.
• Fastweb was among the earliest service providers in Italy that began the provision of fast fiber optic broadband service.
• Similarly, Fastweb has emerged as one of the leading providers of VoIP and IPTV services in Italy.
• Swisscom owns Fastweb, one of the largest fixed-line and mobile operators in Switzerland.
• Fastweb leverages WindTre’s 5G and 4G/LTE network for nationwide mobile coverage.
• Fastweb has a set of mobile plans such as prepaid and postpaid services.

It offers competitive prices, excellent customer service, and the widest possible selection of services for those using it in Italy, including individuals and businesses.

2. Italy Fastweb Coverage and Speed

Fastweb provides good coverage in urban areas and cities but lacks in rural regions. Here is an overview of their mobile network in Italy.

2.1. Fastweb Coverage in Italy

According to the Opensignal November 2024 Report For Italy Mobile Network Experience, Fastweb only shares the 5G Coverage Experience award with WindTre.

Some key details about Fastweb’s coverage as presented in the report:

• Fastweb and WindTre jointly win the new 5G Coverage Experience award, with identical scores of 5.9 points on a 10-point scale. They outperform their competitors significantly.
• With a score of 5.11 points, Fastweb and WindTre demonstrated superior 5G coverage across Italy compared to Vodafone (4.62 points) and other competitors.
• While Fastweb did not win any awards for Availability, the metric provides additional context about network coverage.
• Even though Fastweb does not have the most extensive 3G/4G/5G infrastructure nationwide like the largest operators, its Availability score was on par – suggesting strong baseline connectivity.

In summary, while Fastweb did not have the highest availability, it still performed well in that area. Combined with its award for best 5G coverage experience, Fastweb has successfully improved network accessibility across Italy through 5G deployments. As a newer mobile operator compared to the larger established companies, this competitive performance in coverage and user experience is noteworthy.

2.2. Fastweb Speed in Italy

Based on the mobile network experience report for Italy from Opensignal, here is an overview of Fastweb speeds:

• For download speed experience nationally, Fastweb ranks second with an average of 40.1 Mbps. This is 10.1 Mbps slower than leader Vodafone.
• For upload speed experience nationally, Fastweb places third with an average of 9.4 Mbps.
• No region ranks Fastweb lower than third for upload speed experience.

Fastweb offers consistently competitive mobile speeds across Italy, ranking among the top operators regionally and nationally for both download and upload speeds.

3. Fastweb Connectivity Options for Travelers

Here are some options for internet connectivity when traveling to Italy:

Which connectivity option is best for you?

Your optimum connectivity will largely depend on the nature of the work that you will be undertaking.

• A prepaid SIM card is the choice for you if the budget is tight.
• If you want extra data or are traveling to multiple countries, it will be better to get the Italy eSIM.
• If you need internet access on the go, then pocket Wi-Fi is a good option.

4. Best Fastweb SIM Cards for Tourists & Costs

Fastweb offers affordable SIM plans. With the SIM Activation Cost is approx. 10 USD. Here is the cost of a prepaid Fastweb SIM card plan: 

5. Does Fastweb have eSIM?

Yes, Fastweb does provide Fastweb eSIM connectivity in Italy for new and existing customers, but only for Italians, not for tourists.

So if you want to use eSIM when visiting Italy you can consider Italy eSIM from italy-esim.com. 

6. Where Can You Buy a Fastweb SIM Card and eSIM?

6.1. Where to Buy Fastweb SIM card for Italy

Fastweb SIM cards can be purchased at various locations throughout the country:

• Fastweb Stores – Fastweb has its own stores located in major cities throughout Italy where you can purchase SIM cards directly. You can find your nearest store on their website at fastweb.it.
• Online retailers – You can buy Fastweb SIM cards online from certain authorized retailers. Sites like Amazon Italy often stock them for delivery within Italy. Make sure to buy from reputable sellers.
• Direct from Fastweb website – Fastweb allows you to order a SIM card directly from their website at fastweb.it/en/sim/. You’ll need to provide an Italian address for delivery.
• Tobacco shops/newspaper stands – In smaller towns, tabaccherie (tobacco shops) and edicole (newsstands) sometimes function as authorized retailers and may stock Fastweb and other SIM cards.

Make sure any Fastweb SIM card you buy is already activated with data so you can start using it right away in Italy on Fastweb’s 4G network coverage areas. Check expiration dates too if buying online.

6.2. Where to Buy Italy Fastweb eSIM

• Fastweb stores – Visit Fastweb’s retail locations in major Italian cities. Staff should be able to activate an eSIM for you.
• Fastweb website – Fastweb offers eSIM provisioning directly on their website. You’ll need an Italian phone number to complete the online activation process.

Keep in mind Fastweb eSIM activation requires an existing Italian phone number or account. Make sure your device supports eSIM as well. Activating through Fastweb directly is usually the most straightforward option if possible.

7. How to Activate Fastweb Italy SIM/eSIM

Activating the Fastweb SIM card or Fastweb eSIM is quite easy:

7.1. How to Activate Italy Fastweb SIM

• A prepaid Fastweb SIM card will come with instructions for activation.
• Dial *121# choose the language and enter the SIM number.
• Provide passport details when prompted.
• You will get an SMS confirmation on activation.

7.2. How to Activate Italy Fastweb eSIM

Before activating your Fastweb eSIM, check here if your device is compatible and make sure you have a network connection. Follow the steps below:

• Frame the QR Code using your device’s camera
• Activate your eSIM profile on Android or iOS
• Start browsing, calling, and texting

8. Italy Fastweb Call & SMS Rates

Fastweb prepaid SIM has the following call and text rates in Italy:

Please note that these are just estimates and the actual rates may vary depending on your exchange rate. All calls and SMS are charged on per-second billing.

9. Useful USSD Codes for Italy Fastweb SIM

Check the below methods to get account info and recharge your Italy Fastweb SIM:

•  from Fastweb APP:  from the home page click on Invoices > select the invoice of interest click on View > Discover the details of your consumption  >  View the consumption details.
• from BROWSER: from the home page after login to Area Clienti, click on My invoices, then click on WEB corresponding to the invoice you are interested in,  Discover the details of your consumption  >  View the consumption details.

10. How to Top-up Italy Fastweb SIM

You can recharge your Fastweb prepaid SIM through multiple methods. Topup using Fastweb website for registered users via cards or PayPal.

Data packs and bonuses can be added using MyFastweb app after each recharge.

11. Alternatives to Italy Fastweb SIM

Some alternatives you can consider instead of Fastweb in Italy:

• TIM – Fastest speeds and best coverage. But slightly more expensive.
• Vodafone Italy – Equally good speeds and coverage as TIM.
• iliad – Cheapest data packs starting at 4.99 EUR for 40GB.
• WINDTRE – Low-cost data and good coverage. But congested network.
• italy-esim.com – International eSIM provider that offers Italy eSIM plans with data-only or data with calls. Pay-as-you-go options.

While choosing a local Italian mobile provider, consider the ease of using an eSIM from a provider like Italy-esim.com. eSIMs are digital SIM cards that can be activated remotely, eliminating the need to visit a physical store upon arrival in Italy. We also offer flexible data plans that can be tailored to your travel duration and data needs.

With pay-as-you-go options, you only pay for what you use, avoiding unused data charges. For added convenience, Italy-esim.com likely offers customer support in multiple languages, making it easier to get assistance if needed.

12. FAQs About Fastweb in Italy

13. Final Words

Fastweb provides a reliable network and good speeds for connectivity in Italy. Their prepaid SIM card and tourist eSIM are convenient and easy to get for foreign tourists. Speeds will be fast in cities but coverage can be patchy in rural areas where it falls back to partner roaming. Overall, Fastweb is recommended for Italy if you mostly travel to the cities and major towns. For best connectivity across Italy, TIM or Vodafone Italy SIM cards are suggested instead.